Improvement in making cane-hemp for making paper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

B. o. SMITILOF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAKING CANE-HEMP FOR MAKING PAPER, etc.

Specification forming part 01 Letters Patent No: 3,349, dated November 2] 1843.

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, BARZILLAI G. SMITH, of the city and county otBurlingtou, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful- Method of Mauufacturin g what I call Gane-- Hemp, which may be used for making cordcrosperina, of Pursh; Armtdinared macrosper mat, of Michaux Amado gigantz'a and Tecta, of Walter, either in the green or dry state; but I prefer that it should be green. The first thing to be etfected is to reduce the cane from its natural rigid state into a pliant condition, iu'whiclrlh'e'fibersmaybe separated easily by any of the known processes used for thatpurpose. To so reduce'it I place the cane in a vessel or chamber (made of or lined with lead or any substance that will resist the. action of the gas to be used upon it) and-pass through the cane a current of hydrofluoric-acid gas, which is obtained by decomposing fluor-spar (fluoride of calcium) by means of sulphuric acid. The finer-spar is to be powdered and placed in an alembic or retort, (made of lead or any other useful material,-) resting in asandbath. Sulphuric acid is then to be poured on the spar, the best proportions, I think, being two pounds of theacid to one pound of the spar, the acid and spar to be made into a stiff paste by stirring it a few minutes, the connec tion being made tight between the alembic or retort and the vessel or chamber where the cane is, and the said bat-h heated sufliciently.

(If lead is used, care'mu'st be taken not to raise theldegree 0theat high enough to melt" the lead.) The hydrofluoric-acid gas will pass over into the vessel or chamber containing the cane, andthesileiz will b'e'taken' up asa gas in the form of hydrofiuo silicic acid gas and will pass out of the dischargepipe as a white smoke; or, if the discharge-pipe bcimm'ersed in water,

the gas will be decomposed and hydrate of silica will.- be deposited in the water in a gelatinous state. Steamer any other proper mode maybeadopted as a substitute for the sand bath in heating the alembic or retort. The cane being then removed, I think it best to steep it for one or two hours in a weak solution of chloride of soda or carbonate of soda ing more time. Any alkaline lye will answer; but the above-mentioned I think the best, and then the cane should be washed in water. After the cane has undergone the above --d escribed process it will be found that the fiber can be easily separated.

The second process by which the rigidity of the cane may be reduced to the state required is by boiling, it in lime-water or cream of lime, (made in the ordinary way,) a good proportion of water for the purpose being thirty-five galions to a bushel of lime, adding to the limewater or cream of lime, as above, about two pounds of potash or soda, and then-by placing the canein a suitable kettle or boiler, covering it with the'lime-water or cream of lime, which is to be made to boil. The cane will be reduced to the state required in about six or eight hours with a mixture of that strength. As it is to be continued boiling during the process, if the vessels used are open, it will require to be filled up occasionally, as the liquor boils away. The above proportions may be varied and produce the desired efl'ect but I ,think the above-named as good as any upon the score of cheapness and efiiiciency.

The third process is by boiling or steaming the cane. in water or steam at a temperature of 250, or upward, of Fahrenheits thermom= eter, geueratedin a boiler similar in construc tion to that of the ordinary. high-pressure steam-boiler, or any other suitable shape or construction, the cane to be placed in the boiler to the action of the water or steam heated to the degree'indicated-say 250, or upwardby which the rigidity of the cauewilllbe redficed-to the desired state of having its fibers easy to be separated by the ordinary rocess now used for thatpurpose. If the'cane is green, it-will. require from fifteen to twenty hours to efiect the change at a temperature-0t 250 it above that, less time in proportion to addition al heat. M When the cane has been'brought to a state or potash, hot or cold-it' cold is used, requiror steam -chamber, as maybe, and subjected so that the fiber will readi'lyseparate, it should I be passed through rollers fit for the purpose, which may be constructed likcthosenow known and used for grinding or rolling sugar-cane; or

they may be constructed of any other material, form, or proportion fit for the purpose of displacing and separating the fiber of the cane. This may also be done by beatin g, pounding, &c.

What I claim as my invention, art, or discovery, and for which I desire to procure Letters Patent, is-

The methods of making what I call canehemp by the three first'above-described prov 

